The Third Crusade

Pope Gregory VII said sinful people were the reason Jerusalem had fallen into Muslim hands again. He taxed the common people to build up enough money to send out a third crusading army. These crusades must have been quite a headache for the poor commoners. As all this was happening, King Richard ruled England, but he didn’t care much about his country. He used his title to raid the churches and countryside and then in 1189 left on the Third Crusade. King Phillip of France and his armies joined him along the way. They decided to go by ship rather than by land as the ones before them had gone. Along the way, King Richard conquered Sicily and Cyprus with brutal ease. This built up his reputation and earned him the name Richard the Lionheart.

Eventually the French armies under King Phillip returned home and Richard went on by himself. He conquered the city of Acre, sending word that he wanted to meet with Saladin. Saladin didn’t respond quickly enough, so Richard took 3,000 captured Muslim men, women and children to a hillside within view of Saladin and had the innocent people slaughtered to show the Muslim warrior and king the power of a Christian warrior and king.

The two great leaders fought on against each other in many different cities and became respectful enemies. It is said that Richard could ride in front of the army of Saladin unarmed and not be attacked because those warriors had too much respect for his abilities. Eventually Richard the Lionheart and Saladin drew up a truce. Some of the Holy Land went to the Christians and some to the Muslims. Saladin still held Jerusalem, but he allowed Christians to make pilgrimages freely. The agreement was only for three years only because Richard believed he could return and retake Jerusalem. He never did. The year was 1192.